Apron splicing device



Nov. 16, 1954 Filed Aug. 12, 1952 G. A. PETTIT APRON SPLICING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR G.A. P E TTI T ATTORNEY Nov. 16, 1954 G. A. PETTIT 2,694,436 v APRON SPLICING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR G.A. PETTIT ATTORNEY APRON SPLICING DEVICE George A. Pettit, New Orleans, La., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture Application August 12, 1952, Serial No. 304,045

1 Claim. 01. 1s4- 42 (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) A non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in the invention herein described, for all governmental purposes, throughout the world, with the power to grant sublicenses for such purposes, is hereby granted to the Government of the United States of America.

This invention relates to a device for use in positioning and pressing together the ends of an endless belt or an apron while they are being joined in situ by a chemical bonding agent such as a glue. More particularly, the invention provides a splicing device which is particularly adapted for renewing or replacing the endless leather aprons or belts on the knurled or fluted, laterally extensive rolls of spinning and roving machines used in the production of textile yarns.

An object of the present invention is to provide a splicing device which will hold the ends of a belt or apron being spliced in perfect alignment and will apply a uniform pressure over the whole of the area in which a chemical bond is to be formed. Another object is to provide a splicing device in which the belt ends and the portions of the belt adjacent to said ends are compressed into a smooth plane during the formation of the bond between the ends. A further object is to provide a device which can be quickly attached preparatory to making a splice and which can be quickly detached after the splice is completed. A further object is to provide a splicing device which allows a completely visible manual alignment of the belt ends, and which instantaneously posi tively clamps the belt ends in such alignment while they are still being manually held; so that even an untrained operator can attain a perfectly smooth even and uniform surface of leather at the point of junction.

The apron splicing device provided by the present invention can suitably be constructed of one or more of the conventional strong and rigid construction materials. The construction of the device of the corrosion resistant metal construction materials is prefererd.

One particularly suitable embodiment of the splicing device is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure l is a longitudinal sectional pictorial view showing belt ends clamped in position for splicing. Figure 2 is a pictorial view, with parts removed, showing one belt end clamped in position and the other free for exact alignment. Figure 3 is a phantomed view showing a removable belt end pressing mechanism of the device in release position. Figure 4 is a phantomed view showing the same mechanism in pressing position. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a detail.

The main frame of the device comprises a pair of relatively narrow, strip-like side members 11 and 12 which are rigidly attached to the sides of a rectangular spacing member 13 by bolts 14 and 15. The spacing member is wider than the belt to be joined, shorter than the side members, and is arranged to connect the side members into a pair of parallel, longitudinally extending, vertical walls that, are joined near a common end by the spacing member.

A rigid flat belt-end backing plate 16 is detachably connected to the side members by means of slots 17 and 18 in the side members in which the ends of the backing plate are positioned. The slots are wide enough to allow transverse motion of the backing plate in respect to the side members but narrow enough to prevent the plate from moving lengthwise along the side members. The central portion of the backing plate is small enough to pass through the slots, but is sufficiently thicker than the ends so that when the central portion of the backing plate is positioned between the side members out of line with the States Patent slots the central portion prevents any appreciable transverse motion of the backing plate in respect to the side members. The backing plate extends transversely between the side members near the ends which are not connected to the spacing member 13.

One adjustable belt-end clamping member includes a transverse eccentric roll 20 which is rotatably mounted on an eccentric axis journaled in the side members, so that it extends transversely between the side members above a portion of the backing plate 16. The eccentric axis mounting is provided by olf-set axles 21 and 22 rotatably mounted in the side members. Means, in the form of a lever 23 attached to the roll 20, is provided for rotating the roll about its eccentric axis to move the roll surfaces further to or away from the backing plate thus to clamp one end of the belt against one edge area of the backing plate until the belt-end is wedged between the adjacent surfaces of roll 20 and the backing plate.

The other belt-end clamping member includes a clamping plate 25 which is pivotally attached to the side members between the spacing member 13 and the backing plate 16 so that one end of plate 25 extends above the adjacent edge portion of the backing plate and the other end extends above a portion of the spacing member. Spring 30 is mounted on the spacing member in socket 31 and is held in position on plate 2:5 by plug 32. The spring is arranged to urge one end of plate 25 away from the spacing member so that the other end is urged toward the backing plate. Spring 30 is long enough to exert a pressure away from the spacing member 13 even when plate 25 is pivoted so that one end rests upon the backing plate 16. The clamping action of plate 25 is released by pivoting it so that projection 33 is caught by spring catch 34 attached to spacing member 13.

A rigid belt-end pressing member comprising a pressing plate 40 is detachably connected to the side members 11 and 12 so that it extends transversely between them above the backing plate 16. The pressing plate has a flat surface parallel to the upper surface of the backing plate. Detachability of the belt-end pressing member is accom plished by means of a detachable frame 41 which is connected to side members 11 and 12 by end flanges on the frame which slide into notches 42 and 43 in the side members and are held in place by pressure imparted when pressing plate 40 is forced against the belt-end lying on the backing plate 16. Means is provided for forcefully urging the pressing plate 40 toward the backing plate 16 to press the end of the plate against the backing plate and for maintaining the pressure thus created. To accomplish this purpose pressing plate 40 is adjustably movable within frame 41 by adjustment of eccentric cam 45 by means of lever 46 which is attached to the axis 47 of the cam. Pressing plate 40 is forcibly moved toward. the backing plate 16 by the wedging action of the cam against the lower edge of the cut out portion of the vertical portion of the pressing plate. Plate 40 maintains the pressure created by such forceful motion by virtue of the friction of the surface of the cam on the adjacent surface of the pressing plate.

The splicing device provided by the present invention is operated in the following manner. One end of the belt is inserted in the device while detachable frame 41 is removed, backing plate 16 is in position, and clamping plate 25 is caught in release position by spring catch 34. The end of the belt is inserted between the backing plate 16 and clamping roll 20 and is clamped there by moving lever 23. It is of advantage to precede the splicing operation by an application of a light coating of wax on the upper surface of the backing plate, to prevent the adherence of the binding agent to the backing plate. The chemical bonding agent is applied to the portion of the ends of the belt to be bonded. The other end of the belt is passed around the laterally extensive roll 50 by which it is to be turned, and inserted between backing plate 16 and clamping plate 25. The belt end so inserted is maneuvered into the desired degree of alignment with the belt end already clamped in position and when the desired alignment is attained, is clamped in position by releasing spring catch 34. This release can be accomplished without removing the fingers or thumbs from .the alinged belt end. Detachable frame 41 with the pressing plate 40 in release position is then inserted in notches 42 and 43 in the side members and pressure is applied to the aligned belt ends by moving lever 46.

When the belt ends have been pressed together long enough to-produce .the desired'bend, the splicing device is removed-by. releasing and removingthe detachable frame 41- and its carried parts, releasing clamping plate 25-and clamping roll 2.0, and then lifting backing plate 16 up far enough to allow it to slide through slots 17 and 18' and to become free of the frame and the spliced belt or apron. The splicingdevice is-then entirely free of the formed endless belt.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A device for positioningand pressing together the ends of an endless belt-being joined in situ around a laterally extensive roll, which device comprises: a pair of relatively narrow, strip-likeside members that are rigidly. attached to the sides of a rectangular spacingmember which is wider than the belt to be joined, shorter than the side members, and isarranged to connect the side members into a pairof parallel, longitudinally extending, vertical walls that are joined near a common end by the spacing member; a rigid flat belt-end backing plate. which is detachably connected to. the side members so that it extends transversally between the side membersnear the ends which are not connected to the spacing member; a beltend clamping member which vis pivotally attached to the side members between the spacing member and the backing plate with one endextending above a portion of the spacing member and the other, end extending above a portion of the backing plate; a spring mounted in the spacing member and arranged to urge one end of the beltend clamping member away from the spacing member, so that the other end is urged toward the backing plate; an eccentric roll belt-end clamping member which is rotatably mounted on an eccentric axis journaled in the side members, so that it extends transversally between the side members above a portion of the backing plate, and which is provided with a means for rotating it about its eccentric axis to move the roll surface closer to or further away from the backing'plate; and a rigid belt-end pressing member which is detachably connected to the side members so that it extends transversally between the side members above the central portion of the backing plate, which belt-end pressing member is provided with a pressing plate having a fiat surface parallel to the upper surface of the backing plate and a means for forcefully urging the pressing plate toward the backing plate and maintaining the pressure created by urging the pressing plate. to press the ends of a belt againstthebackingplate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,448,940 Whittemore Sept. 7, 1948 2,483,707 Magee Oct. 4, 1949 2,487,149 Leguillon Nov. 8, 1949 2,490,692 Leguillon et al Dec. 6, 1949 

